Blinded By Rage
by reader-chic-2
Summary: Clary and Jace had trouble being around the other. Some said it was because they left the lust to build up. Clary had different views. She knew he was a gorgeous angel, but he was a devilish dark angel. She constantly wanted to rip his head off. Jace? Jace simply loved getting a rise out of his favorite redhead. The truth is finally unveiled when Jace joins Clary's family dinner.
1. Chapter 1

**Blinded By Rage**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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Clary wiped the blue goo off her glasses and turned to Jace with a fire burning brighter than her own hair. "You. Fucktard."

"I actually prefer the term fuck _er,_ " Jace said, his body leaned casually over the counter as he watched Clary cleanse her face of the goop. It wasn't his fault. Clary brought this on herself. While she was sitting here listing off the amount of evidence she has that proves that Jace died his hair blonde, he took the lead in mixing their chemicals. Thus, he created this monster.

"Oh screw you!" she groaned, dramatically swiping at her clothes. He leaned forward with a cheesy smile.

"When?"

That earned him a glowing red slap in the face that kept its color all the way home. He cherished that slap. Jace strived to always take a prize of war home with him, and this certainly qualified. Isabelle noticed the moment he stepped inside. She looked at his face and didn't even flinch.

"What, did you try fucking Kaelie in the ass?" She asked, cocking her hip out to the side. Jace flipped her off and looked in the hallway mirror, quite proud of his aggravating skills.

"Aline already offered that a long time ago," Jace snorted. "No. This is Clary's doing."

"You tried to fuck Clary?" Iz gaped, eyes wide. Jace looked at her as if she wielded the intelligence of a cow. She was his stepsister so he didn't feel totally perverted by saying she got lucky in the looks department. He swore she had no helpful knowledge ever.

"If he did that, he'd be in the hospital," Alec walked merrily into the kitchen. Jace knew that tone of voice. He looked at the door and within seconds Magnus's cat-like eyes appeared. Jace snorted.

"He's right. Jace, dear, when are you going to address your little crush on Clarissa?" Magnus asked as he hugged Isabelle. Jace didn't even waver in his response. He quite preferred the attention.

"As soon as Alec admits his little crush," Jace jerked his head toward Magnus. When Alec nearly choked on his food, Jace deemed it a conversation well spent. He glanced in the mirror again, dismayed to see that the slap had diminished slightly.

It wasn't that it was Clary who did this. She was merely the most fun to annoy. Seeing her outrageous reactions gave him joy. She always scrunched her nose up when she got frustrated, and her cheeks would become as red as her hair. If she weren't so damn annoying, he'd find it endearing.

Magnus' comment got on his nerves, though. That was the second person who claimed he liked her, the first being her brother and his best friend, Jonathan. He was even more convinced than Magnus was. Every time Jace came over, Jon claimed it was to see Clary.

He had him there, but it wasn't so he could fuck _her_ in particular. Most of the time, it was because of two things. One: she was a hot girl. Why wouldn't he want to go to a hot girl's house and have a slight chance of seeing her naked? Two: he loved pissing her off in her own territory. It made it so much easier. Most of the time, he didn't even have to try.

She was putty in his hand.

. . .

Clary stormed into her room and slammed the door shut behind her. She ran her hands through her hair only to yank out multiple tangles. A scream slipped out of her mouth. She set her warpath in the direction of her easel. Jace fucking Wayland. Hopefully her wrath would produce something equally as beautiful as him yet lacking the insane stupidity he possessed.

Her door swung open with a hesitant creak. Clary flung around, clumps of blue-stained hair whipping past her vision. Red claimed her sight but not enough to distort the obvious image of her brother. They looked nothing alike. If Luke weren't so dark in color and tall, Clary would wonder if she were actually Luke's kid. Didn't matter. Neither of them were around anymore.

"Yikes. Somebody got in a fight with Aqua-man and lost," Jonathan whistled. Clary had half a mind to pick up the nearest object, a pointy paintbrush for example, and throw it at him. She didn't feel like wasting paint, though.

"It's your little shit-for-brains friend," Clary growled. In her heat she nearly fell as she turned around and thrust the brush on the canvas, painting whatever her hands felt like. The paint splattered harshly against the canvas in waves of fury. Every stroke held a slap in the face.

"Ja-?"

"I mean, how hard is it to follow instructions?" Clary threw her hands up, splaying her ceilings with gold paint. "I told him specifically to let me do the work, but he had to be all flirty with Kaelie and pronounce himself to be more 'qualified for the job.'"

"Are you-?"

"'Qualified for the job," Clary muttered. "Who talks like that?"

"Clary."

"And screwing up our whole project isn't enough for him, either!" The laugh echoing from her throat had no humor in it. "After he threw staining blue gunk i _n my face_ , he decided to twist _my_ words and make it seem like _I_ want to fuck _him_!"

Jonathan finally got in a word, mainly because he stepped into her line of view. "Woah! That escalated too fast!"

Clary showed her aggravation through her art well because paint was flying off every side of the poor canvas. "The dog's your friend! Ask him."

"Okay, Jace is not a dog." Jonathan said. The snake-like look Clary shot him held enough accusation for him to hold his hands up. It wouldn't take away her suspicion.

"You're right. He doesn't deserve such a high title. I'll shoot for an object next time," Clary nearly punched a hole in the canvas. At this, she stepped back before she could damage it more.

"You know if you'd stop reacting so violently..." Jonathan trailed off, and for good reason. The anger was visible in the air, sounding like static yet moving like waves. Jon coughed. "I know you hate them, but Dad wants to meet Isabelle. So he invited their whole family over. Alec's refused, but Jace..."

"Jace what?" Clary hissed, venom rolling off her tongue.

"Jace said he'd be happy to come," he coughed quieter than a mouse.

Just like that, her painting of a golden blob grew a fist-sized hole in it.

. . .

Jace's phone buzzed in his pocket as they exited their house. He pulled it out already knowing whose face would grace him with her alarming presence. He declined Kaelie's call.

Iz snorted. "You know she can tell when you decline it early, right?"

Jace nodded. He knew and didn't care. Maryse fluffed her hair and pretended not to hear their conversation. She always did that when Jace's behavior towards females came up. No one ever directly addressed him on it, not that he'd listen anyhow.

He eyed Isabelle as she talked animatedly to Maryse. Jace's opinion on Maryse was naturally quite high. He tried to avoid judgment on her. She was the one who offered to take him in, after all. Still, he was not one to skip over the obvious. Maryse was a motherly figure when around with strict discipline that everyone listened to. They were scared of the outcome if they didn't. However, she was rarely around to discipline anyone. Often times Alec was in charge of the household. While Jace was grateful for being taken in, he never did look to her as a mother. She was more a patron to him.

To Isabelle, however, Maryse was exactly who Iz strived to become. If you took away the twenty more years of hardship Maryse had on Isabelle, you could mistake them for sisters. Jace didn't know how Jonathan could handle knowing Isabelle strived to be like the rigid, rule-bent Maryse. As her hand hit the door, even it was in a uniform, solid path.

Jace suspected Jonathan was waiting for them at the door. He opened it within seconds. Maryse had met Jonathan before. She was a fan by default. "Better than the rat kid you had before, darling."

"Come on in. We're so glad you could make it. Clary and my dad are getting the food on the table right now," Jon held the door for the girls and practically slammed it on Jace. "Do not make my sister look like a wild buffoon tonight."

"She does it to herself, it's not all me, though it does take talent from time to time," Jace mused over the statement.

Jon groaned. "I'm serious. Not when my dad is meeting Isabelle."

Jace snorted and followed him inside. He didn't see the big deal. Maryse already liked Clary. Isabelle had her over many times before she refused to step foot under the same house as 'the dog' slept. Maryse knew she was more or less sane, though that was always up to change in Jace's mind. At the dining table, Clary had just taken her seat. Jace did the only plausible thing and sat right beside her. Isabelle and Jonathan sat across from them, already speaking with smiles on their faces. Maryse and Valentine were speaking by the entrance into the dining room, introducing themselves.

Clary looked at him like she was genuinely confused. It took her a moment to recover and place an outraged expression to her appearance. "This is my bench, Wayland. I was here first."

"How first grade of you," Jace patted her head and grabbed a set of silver wear, waiting for the explosion from Clary. Sadly, she held it in. No matter, he thought, it would build for a larger eruption later that evening. She turned her head upward and pretended he wasn't there. This he could work with. Maryse and Valentine finally sat down. "Mr. Morgenstern thanks for the dinner."

"Stop kissing his ass," Clary mumbled under her breath. Jace grinned.

"If you want me to kiss yours next, I'd be happy to."

Valentine smiled. "It's my pleasure. I figured I should meet the family Jonathan talks so highly about."

Maryse laughed politely. "He's wonderful to have around."

"And you're all three in the same grade together?" Valentine asked. Jace found the question odd. It took him some time to figure out why. It did play to his advantage, however. His lack of knowledge of his kids' lives meant that he had no idea Jace did his best to ruffle Clary's feathers.

"Yeah," Jon said.

Valentine laughed. "Son, why did it take so long for you to ask her out?"

Maryse frowned. "They've been together for six months." Valentine's smile sagged a bit.

Jonathan directed the attention back on him. "She's an intimidating girl!" Isabelle beamed at him and swung her hair over her shoulder. Jace grew bored of their banter quickly. He looked at his side where Clary was slowly eating her food, as if this dinner couldn't take any longer.

Ever so carefully, Jace reached to their drinks sitting side by side. Clary's was water, but his was Diet Coke. The color difference was obvious. He laughed at Isabelle's joke and pretended not to notice that he had grabbed the wrong drink. Clary noticed a second too late, right as he took a big gulp from it.

"Hey! That's my drink, asshole!" She shoved his shoulder and yanked the drink from him, spilling water on both of their laps.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize!" Jace exclaimed, feigning to be insulted.

"Clarissa! Language!" Valentine demanded. Clary gave him an attitude-filled look and set her glass down loudly.

This set Maryse's attention on Clary. "Clary, I've missed you. What's been going on lately?"

Jonathan grinned. "She punched a hole in her latest painting."

Clary glared harshly at him. "Nothing, really."

"Did anything ever happen with that Sebastian boy you and Isabelle used to gossip about?" Maryse asked. This grabbed Jace's attention. He whipped around to look at her. In all the years he'd known her, Clary hadn't dated any guys or even remotely came close to dating any. She was too stuck up for a guy to like her in the first place, but also she never had much interest with them.

"Verlac?" He gaped. Clary, miffed, squared her shoulders and spoke only to Maryse.

"No. Nothing became of him," she answered both of their questions. Jace felt a wave of emotion he had trouble identifying. The idea of Sebastian and Clary made him gag. Sebastian was a woman-beater. Though he had never beat one before, the way he spoke gave Jace the indication that he wasn't far from it.

"I'm afraid I'm lost. Could you catch me up here, Clarissa?" Valentine's voice did not leave room for argumentation. Clary's eyes sagged as she looked at her father. "If you are dating a boy, you know I have to approve of him first."

"I'm not dating anyone, Father," Clary rolled her eyes. "Not like you'd approve of anyone either way," she muttered the last part, and somehow the whole room heard.

"That's an ignorant thought. I'd easily approve of Jace over here," he offered, causing Jace to nearly spit out his food. Clary's head fell against the table as she moaned loudly.

"I detest the dog sitting beside me," she said.

Jace grinned. "I think I'd make a good golden retriever," he agreed. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched the wooden bench.

Maryse laughed lightly. "I'm afraid he's taken. You're still dating Aline, right?"

Jace cleared his throat. "She's a lesbian now-,"

"After you, anyone would be," Clary hissed with a smug smirk on her lips as she lifted her head.

"And no, I just broke up with Kaelie, Maryse," Jace ignored Clary's comment. He'd get her back for that one.

"You call your mother Maryse?" Valentine seemed like the idea was equal to rioting. His indignation made Jace rather annoyed.

 _You have your kid call you 'Father?'_

Jace cleared his throat. "She's not my mom."

The awkwardness in the room was nearly visible. Clary's gaze fixated on him, eyes scrutinizing his every move. Valentine sat back in his seat. Isabelle and Maryse moved their eyes to their food, like they always did when this topic was brought up. Jonathan continued stuffing his face. The air became thicker. It swirled with unspoken scorn and questions.

Of all people, Clary spoke up. "Well, I think Jace owes me a water."

"Wha-?"

"Come on. You can help bring out dessert with me." Her tone, much like her father's, offered no room for reason. It wasn't nearly as cold as Valentine's was, though. Jace took any opportunity to escape the silent room. He followed Clary out of the room, immediately questioning her intentions. For once, her behavior didn't get under his skin. It saved him.

"Why did you do that?" He walked briskly toward her. She kept moving like she hadn't heard him. He followed her into the kitchen where she moved to the fridge. She opened it and pulled out a large blue bowl with foil over the top of it. When she tried to close it, Jace grabbed the door and stopped her movement. "Hey. I'm talking to you."

Clary sighed. "You looked panicked. I know what it's like bringing up family to people you don't want to explain the situation to." She shrugged. "You're welcome."

Jace didn't say anything for a while. He watched Clary fill up another glass of water for herself with a calm expression. Suddenly, drinking her water wasn't as funny as he originally thought. Finally, he voiced, "Thank you."

Clary looked up. Her eyes recognized he rarity of his words as much as he did. Hesitantly, she lifted her lips up in a small smile. "If it's any consolation, my mom cheated on my dad. Then she left her children with the heartless man out there."

"My mom's dead." Jace said. Clary's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I didn't know her," Jace said, scratching the back of his neck. All he knew of her was a face. The blonde hair came from her. Aside from that, he never heard a thing about her. Clary leaned against the fridge, a frown gracing her features. He never realized the green in her eyes were so distracting. He missed her question. She repeated herself.

"And your dad?"

Jace said, forcing a smirk on his lips. "You aren't the only one with a runaway parent."

Clary bit her lip. She ignored his attempt of a joke and stepped closer. "You're better off with the Lightwoods."

He didn't have anything to say to that. Jace grabbed the blue bowl. Together, they walked back into the dining room. Everyone was laughing at something Isabelle said. Her cheeky smile proved that she found herself all too amusing.

"Here's some banana pudding," Clary pulled off the foil. Everyone dove into it, eager for something soft and sweet. It was the first time Jace wondered who cooked all this food. From the way Clary announced the dessert and the nerves jumping behind her eyes, Jace assumed it was she.

 _Then she left her children with the heartless man out there._

Jace always assumed she had it easy. He'd always known Jon's mom left them, but Jon spoke so freely about it. Clary had taken it more to heart. The way she spat out her mother's name sounded angrier than Jon had. She resented her mother for leaving her, which wasn't all too peculiar, but it was why that seemed odd. She hated her because she left her with her dad. Clary should have hated her mother and loved her father, the one who stayed. Instead, it almost seemed that she hated both. He knew she probably used to love her mother, and that was why she was so angry about it all.

"You look like you wet yourself," Clary snickered at him. Jace looked at his pants and laughed. There was a faint wet spot on his crotch. He looked at Clary's and laughed even more.

"I can see your panties," he leaned over and whispered into her ear, causing Clary to shiver momentarily before the words registered. Jace was surprised at how much he enjoyed this reaction from Clary as well. "I never took you to wear black lace. Hot."

Her shorts were a thin white color, and below rested black lace material against pale skin. It was impossible to miss. He was once again very glad that he stole her water, therefore encouraging her to spill it over the both of them. Clary's hands shot over her legs with a hot breath of air blowing out of her mouth. Jace found himself growing fonder of this reaction. Sure her angry reactions made him snicker, but these cute reactions? It sent a wave of warmth through him that he was slowly growing addicted to.

"Fuck off," she said, but her giggles contradicted her words. Jace found that even though she didn't blow her top, he enjoyed these results just as much. Maybe even more. Her smile was contagious.

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 **A/N: This isn't the finished project, but school is starting up soon so I'm not sure if I'll have time. Who really really wants to see the finished product? If there's FOUR reviews by tonight, then I'll finish it by this weekend before school starts!**

 **I hope you guys liked this. It was started much earlier and I finally am getting around toward finishing it. It's just some Clace fluff. Let me know what you think. If you can't wait, I have other Clace one shots and a long story. Check it out!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did, well the books would suck/not be finished.**

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Jonathan was sentenced to dish duty. He called on Jace to help him out. Meanwhile, Isabelle and Clary ventured into the living room. Valentine and Maryse spoke by the door for a bit before she made her escape. Isabelle sat on the couch with a loud sigh.

"That went well, what are you sighing about?" Clary asked, joining her side. Isabelle shrugged. "Tell me."

She turned on her side, a searching light in her eyes. "I just don't understand him."

"Who?"

"Jace," Isabelle spoke as if that were obvious. Clary immediately wished she hadn't prodded the conversation. Her thoughts surrounding Jace Wayland were particularly confusing tonight. She supposed him being adopted wasn't a large secret. It was silly not to wonder why he had a different name or why he had golden features. She would be quite honest when she said she assumed Maryse had an affair. The Lightwoods all had good looks, which she assumed came from Maryse, though Robert wasn't horribly pungent. Jace could have easily taken the name of his real father just as he'd taken the gold hair and eyes. She was terribly wrong. She felt guilty despite nobody knowing what she had presumed.

"What about him?"

"He gets too moody about the adoption," Isabelle said. "It makes things so awkward."

Clary held her tongue and clicked the television on. She loved Isabelle, but she wasn't the most understanding person. It was painfully obvious why Jace was so temperamental about being adopted. He didn't feel like he fit in their family. He felt that being adopted made them love him less. The fact that he called Maryse by her name meant he thought of them less as a family than as a unit. Clary wished she could ease his pain.

She nearly had a heart attack. She was suddenly empathizing with the enemy. Jace suddenly became less of a pain in the ass than a poor boy she wished she could help. The worst part was that she didn't mind this sudden truce between them. She didn't mind thinking differently of the man. It was unnerving.

"We should have a sleep over so you can tell me why you have been zoning out for a good five minutes," Isabelle said. Clary laughed, but she nodded. A sleepover with her friend that she hadn't spoken to in forever sounded nice. Girl time was needed, she supposed. Iz definitely brought the heat on to girl time, that's for sure.

"If you're doing this just to sneak off with Jon, tell me now."

Isabelle shook her head. "No! I mean, I will when we go to bed, but not when we hang out."

Clary nodded. She hopped up. "Find us a good movie to cry over and I'll tell my father." Her feet patted down the hallway into Valentine's study. This study was dark. Mahogany furniture encased he entire room, matched by dark red walls. Whenever she was little, she used to peak inside even though her father yelled at her when he caught her. And every time she snuck fully inside, she felt the urge to run away and hide.

Now she had the feeling still, though she masked it because she knew it was all a rouse. Valentine wasn't as scary as he seemed. He was just as mean.

"Can Isabelle sleep over? I promise to keep her out of Jonathan's room," Clary said, expecting a rant on the rules he would place.

"Yes." He hardly glanced up from his paperwork until he realized she was still there. "Anything else?" Clary fiddled with her fingers. She shook her head. "You kids aren't planning something are you? Jace and Isabelle over doesn't mean there's some party, right? I'd be held legally responsible if-,"

"Jace is sleeping over?" Clary interjected. Valentine's jaw locked. "Sorry."

He let out a huff. "Yes. Now may I finish reviewing my case?"

Clary escaped from his study unharmed mostly. He was a good lawyer, in and out of the courtroom.

She found Isabelle in Jonathan's room, no surprise, with Jace and Jon. Clary suddenly realized the predicament. "If Isabelle is sleeping with Jonathan, where will Jace sleep?"

Jace groaned. "Dude, you promised not to fuck me over."

"I'm not! Just when we're sleeping, right Iz?"

She grinned at him. "Right."

Jace looked at Clary. They shared an aggravated look, knowing exactly what would happen within an hour. Sure enough, midway through the movie the four were watching together, Clary heard the disgusting suckling sound that only came from two lips joined together. She gagged and pretended not to hear, hoping they'd quiet up. They didn't. Jace reached over and turned the volume up five notches, and then two more when that wasn't enough. Eventually, he leaned toward Clary.

"I make a mean milkshake," his golden eyes danced towards the kitchen. With a heavy sigh, she glanced at the above bed. Immediately she wished she hadn't. Jace and Clary snuck away without notice.

They didn't bother with being secretive. It wasn't like Jonathan or Isabelle would notice even if they were screaming bloody murder. The only concern was if Valentine heard them. He wouldn't. Clary knew just how oblivious he could be. So when she closed the door to the kitchen, she heavily pretended to barf.

Jace snorted. "If you think that's anything, Red, you've obviously never been kissed before."

Clary stiffened and looked at him expectantly. "And what if I haven't?" Jace's mouth fell open. His horror was written plain in the golden orbs. Clary let out a giggle. "I'm kidding!"

Jace thought for a moment as Clary brought out the ice cream and he found the milkshake maker. "Come to think of it, who was your first kiss?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "Sebastian."

"I thought-,"

She held up a hand and continued scooping out ice cream. "I know what I said. We never dated, but..." Jace smirked impishly at her. "Don't judge me. You're the whore here."

He snorted and, swift as a snake, stole the ice cream from her. He took over scooping while she watched expectantly. "Red heads. Crazy man."

Clary growled as she smacked him upside the head. Somehow his reading comments weren't violent anymore. They made Clary want to smile and hit him at the same time. She considered this a good feeling.

"It's not like you two got very far," Jace said, and his tone struck Clary in an odd way. It wasn't to make a jab at her for once. He sounded almost scared that he was wrong.

"How would you know that?" Clary added an extra scoop of ice cream into the cup. Jace sent her an irritated look and added more milk, so much so that she was scared it would overflow when they turned it on.

Jace snorted. "Well when he sees me changing for practice, he gets a little insecure, as most do, and feels the need to brag about his latest adventures. The whole team knows every single girl he's fingered, fucked, and felt up." Clary's mouth dropped open. He hand faltered by the switch. Jace carefully moved her hand to the counter and switched the milkshake maker on with a pleased smile. "No need to worry, Red. You were never mentioned."

"It could have something to do with my brother being on the football team, too," Clary said, though she had no idea why. Jace always got under her skin. She normally was used to thinking on her feet, but this news jarred her so well that she was playing into his hands. His eyebrows shot to his hairline, and he leaned over the counter with a rueful smile.

"You dirty little girl," he teased. Clary leaned into his face and narrowed his eyes.

"We just made out, okay, asshat?" Clary huffed and stopped the milkshake maker, checking to see how the consistency was. She didn't approve and turned it back on. Jace spent his time watching her languidly.

His eyes slid slowly to hers, and some sparkle in them made her breath catch. "Any good?"

Again, there was that tone she couldn't accurately describe. All she managed was, "Huh?"

"Was Sebastian a good kisser?" Jace spoke as if he was speaking to a baby now, but the insult was halfhearted. This broke Clary out of her fog. She blinked and recovered well.

"Why? Want to give him a go?" Clary smirked. Jace rolled his eyes. She blushed and shook her head. "He practically bit my lips off, even busted them twice." She grimaced at the memory.

Clary put the ice cream and milk back into the fridge and leaned back against the counter beside Jace. She shrugged and watched the churning liquid. It was almost done. "You want to know what it's like to really be kissed?"

Clary frowned and looked at him. He was dead serious. Her cheeks grew even redder and she had to look away. "Um, I don't-,"

Jace had already moved in front of her. Clary's eyes went wide. His hands trapped her on either side against the counter, and his hips pressed into her. He paused there, waiting for some sign from Clary that she wanted him as much as he wanted her in that one moment. She didn't think. She was far past thinking at this point. Without her permission, her eyes fluttered shut and her tongue licked her lips.

Jace crashed his lips to hers. They were soft, kissing her with a gentle speed of need. He moved his lips against hers, just letting her know he was there. Then, he took a plunge and licked her lip. Clary's fingers dug into his hair, fisting the locks for a better grip to pull him closer. His hands slipped under her shirt and gripped her hips tight enough to leave bruises.

She was overwhelmed with feeling suddenly. It swirled around her like a tornado, demanding her attention. His scent washed through her mind, making her clutch him even closer. The feeling of their tongues colliding sent her head swimming. She licked his lip and he bit hers lightly, teasingly. The feeling of her hands holding her securely against him had her heart beating ten thousand times a minute. She molded her lips to his, and when she couldn't breathe, she pulled away. Jace didn't stop. She felt a light kiss grace her cheek, her jaw, her neck.

Her knees buckled as his breath moved down her neck, warm and needing. His soft lips kissed her skin, sending electricity shooting through her body. Jace left a trail of fire leading down to her chest.

Clary brought his face back up to hers. Jace kissed her harder, faster this time. His hands moved down her body, skimming her butt enough to make Clary grin. He grabbed the backs of her thighs and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his torso and struggled to keep up with his lips. They were the rain pouring down in a hurricane. They were everywhere, the main show in the middle of something mind-blowing. Clary was focused on Jace solely, and he was the wind, lighting, and scenery as well in this storm.

Clary leaned back further, and Jace followed, splaying his hands on the counter beside her butt for grip. His hand slipped, and the milk shake maker they had previously forgotten about nearly tipped over if Jace's reflexes weren't so fast. He lunged and grabbed it last second, only letting a little white liquid splatter on the counter.

Clary's eyes watched, but her mind didn't process it for a second. They were so caught up with everything that had just happened. Jace looked at her with wide eyes, and the golden gleam made her want to kiss him again. She couldn't believe what just happened; yet she prayed it wasn't the last time it did.

"I think we over spun our milkshake." It was the first thing she could think of that wouldn't inflate his ego. Jace glanced at the metal contraption and raised an eyebrow.

"Next time, I'll make sure you get to see my milkshake. You won't be disappointed," he winked, causing a new yet favorable emotion to shoot into her stomach. Clary bit her lip.

"You're an ass, Jace Wayland."

"And you sure have an ass," his eyes flickered down her body. Clary rolled her eyes and jumped off the counter. She poured their failed attempt at a milkshake into the sink and turned off the lights.

"I'm going to bed," she said and gestured to the couch. Jace gave Clary his signature 'you're joking' looks. She shrugged. "You were just showing me a kiss, right? Nothing more. Doesn't mean you get to sleep in my bed, Wayland."

Jace stepped closer, and in the rare light of the moon, his eyes were so dark they scared Clary just enough to get her heart beating. He cocked his head to the side. "See, I was thinking about you, Morgenstern." She couldn't hide the surprise and pleasure as her lips twitched toward a smile. His did as well. His masculine musky scent washed over Clary, and her knees threated to sway again. She bit her lip in hopes to regain her backbone. His eyes didn't miss that movement. "You've always been a stuck-up know-it-all to me, but a hot one at that. I just can't believe how wrong I was about you, Red."

"Is this an apology you're working toward?" Clary feigned surprise, though she truly was amazed. Jace smirked and ran a hand through his hair. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "When you're not trying to get me to rip your head off, I could say the same about you. I was wrong as well."

Jace crossed his arms and smiled smugly. "I don't think, however, casual hook ups are your thing. Am I wrong?"

Clary faltered. "I can do whatever I want." He wasn't wrong, though, and they both knew it.

Jace tilted his head, and the charming twinkle in his eyes made Clary's heart leap out of its cage. "I don't understand why you wouldn't want to sleep with me." Clary immediately turned red and began to protest. His smirk grew. "Just sleep, baby, why are you always thinking about sex?"

Clary frowned and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe what I got myself into," she grumbled and shoved Jace away.

"Clearly, it wasn't my pants," he grumbled as he jumped on the couch, the picture of ease. Clary's eyes caught on the bit of stomach that was exposed as he raised his arms. The skin had a splatter of black, but the tattoo wasn't fully revealed. Heat flooded through her, but she pushed it back. He was an ass.

She ran up the stairs before he could say another comment to either infuriate her or turn her on.

. . .

When Jace woke up, Valentine was screaming. Why? Somebody left marks on their glass countertop.

"Well it's not Jonathan's ass sitting up on here, Clarissa!" Valentine shouted. Jace jolted awake. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, not glancing at his hair. It was always in his bedhead form. Valentine's form was animate and pacing about in a stormy heat. He didn't even notice as Jace leaned against the doorframe into the kitchen.

"I can clean them off in a second. What's the big deal?" Clary groaned, her eyes connecting with Jace's. He snorted with mirth, and her hand silently flipped him off. He enjoyed the way she bit her lip and forced her eyes away. He did a good job just by one measly sound.

"Next time you better get off your lazy ass and cook, am I clear?" Valentine stopped in front of Clary. Jace expected her to crumble beneath his intense glare, but she didn't. Her arms crossed and she looked at him with her lip curled back.

"Yes Father," she said between clenched teeth.

Jonathan and Isabelle came stumbling into the kitchen, both with hair that was as crazy as he'd once made Clary's when she fell asleep in science. "What's up?" Jon grumbled when he hit the counter.

"Your dad's going on a power trip," Jace shrugged and looked directly at Valentine. His face went from angry to dumbfound to outrage. The anger bottled up inside him and turned his face red. Now Jace saw the resemblance between he and Clary. He grew a smug smile and waved. "Mr. Morgenstern." He waved.

Valentine nearly blew his top. "You've got some nerve, Wayland." He hissed in a low voice. If Jace didn't love a good thrill, he'd be almost scared. "I'm going to grab a case file. When I come out, the two of you better be out of my sight."

He tromped past Jon and Isabelle with fire, leaving the four staring at each other. "What was that about?" Isabelle asked.

Clary groaned, closing her eyes as she leaned heavily against the fridge. "He was mad because there's prints on the counter."

The three looked at the spot she gestured to. Jace nearly burst out laughing. It all made sense. Clary had indeed made that mark last night, with the help of him, of course. Isabelle stared long and hard at the mark. "That almost looks like…"

"Ass cheeks," Jon finished.

Clary laughed. "Well, I never said he was wrong," she laughed, looking at Jace. Isabelle frowned, and he knew she didn't miss the look they shared.

"Is there something we missed here?" Iz asked.

"Your last period most likely," Jace mumbled. Isabelle stomped his foot and looked at Clary. Jace grinned. "Tell 'em, Red."

"Red?" Jon asked. Jace watched Clary squirm in discomfort. She wouldn't look at anyone. The red came to her face, and Jace felt a genuine smile playing on his lips.

"I hear Father coming," she gasped, and sure enough the creak of his door sounded.

"Jace, can you take Clary…anywhere but here?" Jonathan asked. Jace glanced at Clary. She rolled her eyes and pretended to gag in disgust. He grinned.

"Grab some clothes," Jace said. "Unless you'd like to go in that, which I'm perfectly fine with."

Clary looked at herself, something Jace had done multiple times, though now was the only obvious time. She wore the same outfit she'd worn last night. A thin tank top and short shorts that could easily ride up, like they had when they'd been kissing. She huffed indignantly, but she didn't do anything to hide her outfit.

"Where are we going?"

"Downtown."

"Jonathan, are you joining my client and I for breakfast?" Valentine called from the hall. Jace didn't stay to hear how that played out. Jonathan always did what his father wanted.

"Only if Isabelle can come."

Jace waited outside for Clary longer than he wanted. She finally arrived in ripped black jeans and loose crop top. Valentine came out the door in another fit of rage, throwing a previously discarded jacket of hers at the back of her head. Clary let it fall to the ground and hopped into Jace's car.

He gave her a once over. "That's a little different for you," he noted. Clary shrugged and turned on the radio. "Is it like that every morning?"

She laughed and fell back against the seat, watching Jace watch the road. He stole glances of her every few seconds despite the fact that her expression didn't change as she spoke. "Never that loud. Normally I don't taunt him with my outfits."

The morning flew by in his mind, forcing his jaw to clench shut. "Your father hates you."

She laughed. "He does, doesn't he?" Her sigh was one of exhaustion. Jace stopped at a stoplight and looked at her fully. Despite the make up, he could see the red in her eyes. "Don't you have practice or something? You could have driven me to Simon's."

"Don't let him treat you that way, Red, not without a fight," Jace said. Clary's eyes held his. He saw the weight her father cast on her. It was the sky on her shoulders, the rocks in her pockets. It swirled within her green orbs that popped among her red locks. Relying on instinct, he rested his hand on top of hers, and her body relaxed slightly. Jace didn't want to ever pull away. This was a totally different feeling than that he got from teasing her or making her giggle.

A horn honked behind him, and Jace realized the light had turned green. He looked back at the road and continued towards their destination. When he pulled over, Clary began to laugh. "I didn't think you knew where a bookstore was."

He winked at her, forcing red to stain her cheeks again, and hopped out of the car. Clary followed behind quickly. Jace knew she loved to read. He had plenty of ideas on how to mess with her here. He also knew this bookstore had a café in it, and they never minded if you talked.

"What are we reading?" she asked once inside. Jace rolled his eyes and slung an arm around her shoulders. He inhaled her citric scent and wished she wouldn't shove him off.

"We aren't reading shit. You can read if you'd like. I'm just here to watch," Jace said. Clary's tiny hands struggled yet did succeed to pry his arms off her body. She didn't quite understand what he meant, but she led the way to the back of the store in a secluded corner with beanbag chairs. She took her time finding a book, and when she did, she stood beside Jace, wondering why he hadn't sat down yet. He leaned in next to her ear. "So I could do this." Then, he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her with him into the pile of beanbags.

She squealed in alarm and tried to escape, but Jace had a firm grip on her hips. Clary groaned. "Get your hands off me."

He snickered. "Somehow, I think you don't mean that. You know it's just much easier not to fight me, baby," he whispered into her ear in a hot breath. A shiver ran down her body, and Jace grinned. "It's just you and me here, Red. You don't have to put up your act."

Clary dropped her book. She rolled around to her back. Jace was squishing her against the chair, but she managed to look at him with her piercing green eyes that seemed to shift constantly. "What act?"

Jace's arm rested against her stomach, but his other one moved to brush hair away from her face. "You act like you hate me, but you don't. You hate that I make you feel something nobody else has before."

"And what would that feeling be?" she whispered, eyes searching his.

"I make you feel wanted."

* * *

 **A/N: OMG! That's probably the most feedback I've ever gotten on a single chapter! Especially on a new one. Thank you guys so so much! I never imagined you'd like this that much. I really did write than without too much thought. But because so many people loved it so much and because you guys are so sweet, I've decided to write a third chapter. It's in the works. I hope you guys like this. What do you all think will happen? Will they date? Have sex? Hate each other for the rest of their lives? Kiss? More importantly, what do you want to happen?**

 **Can I see ten reviews again. Well, you all actually had more than that, but I feel like this might have disappointed your expectations. So ten? I love double digit reviews. Follow and favorite this to be updated not eh updates and reread! Btw, if you all leave long awesome reviews/feedback, then we can always lower that number, right?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own this.**

* * *

"Jace fucking Wayland!" She yelled as she threw paint at her canvas. Her brush was moving at speeds it never had before. The painting was unexplainable. It was unrecognizable at the moment. She didn't care. She just needed some form of release.

"Clary, we're going to be late!" Isabelle came crashing into her room thirty minutes later. Clary spun around ready to platter her with paint. She stopped herself, but it was a close one. Iz frowned. "Why are you drawing my brother?"

Clary looked back at the painting, stepping back far enough to look at it fully. Her jaw dropped. "Jace fucking Wayland." She growled.

"What?"

"I'm drawing the devil."

"Well you're putting him in a good light," she scoffed. Her eyes turned suspicious. "Is there anything I should know?"

 _I'm falling for your idiot of a brother even though he's an ass._

"Can we just go?" Clary rolled her eyes. Isabelle wasn't going to drop this one easily. "Jonathan plays better with you there." A smile graced her lips and she grabbed Clary's hand, dragging her to the car.

They made it to the field a few minutes before kickoff. The players were in a huddle, listening to the coach speak. As always, Isabelle waited against the fence for Jonathan. He always came over before a game. They either kissed or flirted. Clary normally joined Simon, but he said he was running late. It was really because he was debating ditching Clary and Isabelle due to the latter's presence.

This time, two players jogged off the field. Jace's number was 3. Clary didn't know how she knew that, but she did. When Isabelle and Jon started to kiss, she slid over reluctantly to talk to Jace, only because she was a fool.

"Came to watch me play? I'm touched, sweetheart," Jace reached out and ran a delicate finger down her cheek. Clary looked down as heat filled her cheeks.

"I was dragged here against my will by your sister," she shrugged. Her eyes drifted toward the other players. They looked big. "Be careful out there."

Jace tilted his head. "And you be careful with my sister. Wouldn't want your embarrassing secret to slip out, would we?" Without waiting for a response, Jace walked away, dragging Jonathan's butt with him. Clary felt the anxiety building. Her throat hurt, like she was holding back tears. She was. Jace's form was lean, and his shoulders seemed huge, more menacing than he'd ever seemed to Clary.

"Jace-," Clary called, but he was too far gone. She groaned, rubbing her temples against the oncoming headache. How had she gone from being mad at him to insulting him in two days? In her defense, she really had insulted him two days ago. Clary just didn't realize it had actually hurt Jace until now.

"You voluntarily spoke to Jace? Wow, you're a nicer person than I thought," Isabelle said. Clary gulped. Iz didn't know how wrong she was.

. . .

Two Days Ago

"I can hardly see, Jace," Clary hissed. She had spent yesterday with Jace avoiding her father. It had been the most fun weekend she'd had in a while. Jace sent her a message at nine this night saying he was outside. She had, for some reason, climbed into his car. Now she found herself in the forest thinking that it would be a shame to ruin her wonderful weekend by being kidnapped or mugged within the trees of Central Park.

"Just trust me," he whispered, farther away than she'd realized. A rustle of leaves sounded behind her. With a squeak, she ran straight into Jace. He started to laugh. Clary elbowed him and grabbed his arm. She wasn't going down alone.

They walked for five minutes until Jace stopped. He had been carrying a bag the entire walk. Now he reached into it and pulled out multiple things. Clary still couldn't see. A flame flickered to life in Jace's hands. He lit a candle, and then another, and then another. Soon, she saw they were in a small clearing surrounded by trees. Jace had a total of six large candles. He dropped the match into a pile of firewood. It created a fire so large she knew there had to have been an accelerant. Then, Jace calmly laid a large blanket in the middle of the candles, close enough to the fire to see, but not so close they'd get too hot.

"Jace…"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the blanket. The ground was cold, and she curled her legs against her chest. "What is this?" she whispered, not daring to break the silence of the night. He lied back on his elbows, staring at the sky.

"This is me forcing you on a date," he said, not even looking at Clary. She snorted.

"I don't think that's how it works," she said. Her head craned back. The stars were, as always, hidden. They could see, however, clouds moving overhead. "You don't date, Jace."

He looked at her. "I do now."

She sighed. "You spent our whole childhood determined to bully me. It's hard for me to believe one kiss can change that."

He raised one eyebrow. She refused to look at him, though. "You aren't saying no."

Clary finally snapped her gaze up to his. "This is me saying you should stick to your old ways. We won't work."

"But you want us to."

"Yes – no!" She groaned, her emerald eyes pleading with his. "I don't know what I want, but I know what you want. It's not me."

"Why isn't it you?" Jace said, his voice impartial. The moonlight lit up his eyes. Clary had trouble looking away. His whole body seemed highlighted. It was hard to resist him, but she knew she had to.

Clary laughed sadly. She looked at her hands as she spoke. "You want sex. I want love. You like sports and parties. I like art and comics. And our friends? What would they say? Isabelle would never forgive me for dating her brother. And Jonathan would beat you into the hospital. Jace, they know us as the fighting duo, not the fucking duo."

Jace's jaw clenched at her words. He didn't say anything, didn't disagree. He just fell back on the blanket, hands behind his head. Clary waited. Her pulse increased. She wanted him to say something to make her claims fall short. Instead, he lied there silent and calm.

"Jace?"

Jace sighed, closing his eyes. "If that's what you think – what you care about…I guess you are right. You aren't what I expected."

No. She wasn't what he _wanted_. That's what she said. She blinked rapidly, trying to understand what he meant. "You know me. You know what to expect."

"Clearly not. I never saw you to be a self-conscious people-pleaser." He shifted in his position. Clary's mouth fell open. His words hit her gut hard. She was so stunned that words failed her. It hit her hard.

"I – I'm sorry," she whispered, running her hands through her tangled curls as she stood. He waved like it meant nothing to him. Maybe it didn't. Maybe she dodged a bullet. But the words followed her, floating directed above her head.

 _People-pleaser. Self-conscious._

Was that who he thought she was? No. He didn't get to just outright call her such things. On her walk home and through the subway, her sadness and doubt turned to anger and rage.

How dare he?!

. . .

Clary and Isabelle found their spots in the stands. It was overly crowded today. She didn't even know who they were playing, but she assumed it would be a good game.

Every time Jace went in, Clary felt a rush of adrenaline. Every time Jonathan went in, she could breathe easy. He was the quarterback. Most of the time, he only got hit when they were really playing bad. Jace, however, was a running back. He got hit every time he touched the ball.

One hit was particularly bad. He landed with two guys on top of him, and his leg got pinned under him. He didn't get up. Clary held her breath. He still didn't get up. Coaches rushed on the field. He hobbled to his feet, but it was too late for Clary. She breathed out heavily and fell forward with it.

The guys in front of her were drunk and old. They kept her from falling, though the price was high. All four men lost their drinks in the process. Their eyes locked on Clary's tiny form. "Darling, you owe us four beers, but if you let us walk you there, you can just buy one."

Clary gulped and looked at Isabelle. She shrugged. Clary looked at the men. They were in their late twenties and had some rugged beards and rugged scents. She gulped and nodded. They followed her down the stairs. She could feel their eyes groping her ass.

When she passed the sidelines, her eyes caught with Jace's. He was stretching out his leg. She was about to stop and ask him how he was, but soon two bulky guys blocked the path. One threw his arm around her shoulders, causing her to cringe inward.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

Clary whipped around to see Jace again, but he was in a warpath headed towards the coach. He said some words, and the coach responded. Jace threw the helmet at the side and went back to his spot, legs shaking with adrenaline.

She bought them their drinks, which basically meant she handed them the cash. It was stupid in her mind, but she didn't feel like protesting. It gave her a good excuse as to why she left Isabelle's side. The four men tried to have conversation with her, but she dropped it quickly. Somehow, she ducked away from them.

Jace was pacing behind the bench. Clary ran into the fence. "Jace, are you okay?" she shouted. Jace looked up at her voice. He looked her over and snarled, waving her off. Clary frowned. "Jace, I'm sorry. Are you hurt? Why aren't you out there?"

With a burst of energy, he stood directly in front of Clary on the opposite side of the fence. "You seemed really concerned when you came down earlier hanging off of four men," he growled. Clary frowned. She was sure she didn't hear him right.

She recovered quickly. "I have you to thank for that," she laughed.

The fire in his eyes grew brighter. "Me? You're joking!"

He was so angry. She assumed he'd be back in the game by the next quarter. His jealousy was uncalled for, as well. She wasn't dating him. She'd made that clear. If she was going to mess around with four older guys, he had no room to call her on it. "They were cheering against you. I was cheering against you, and we all got closer from there!" Clary smirked as she saw the anger flood into his eyes. His hands clenched on the fence, and he swallowed hard. His expression shifted into a madder, more serious ire.

The coach called out to him. He was going back in. Clary hadn't expected that. Jace hardly looked in his direction as he continued to glare at Clary. "Wayland!"

Before he left, he looked back at the stands, at the four men laughing and spilling their drinks everywhere. Suddenly, seeing Jace so jealous didn't make her feel better. It scared her. He had so much pent up rage already. "Jace, I was kidding-,"

"No. Don't let me stop you. Keep rooting against me and see how well that works for you," he growled, directly in her face. Clary flinched back at the venom in his words. They lashed out and tangled into her heart. His feet hit the ground like they were hitting her chest, over and over, growing with power and fear.

She was more than worried. He'd never played so angry before. He was an impulsive person, and it never worked out well for him. She couldn't move. Clary knew something bad was about to happen. She could feel it in her gut.

They snapped the ball. Jonathan looked around for the blitz. He handed off the ball to Jace, but it never reached Jonathan again. The entire crowd had lost the ball. Nobody spoke.

Then, Jace fought through two defenders, right into a line of three. They spotted the ball just seconds before the crowd did. The closest defender smashed into Jace from the left, and the next came from the right, and the last pinned him back on his back.

Everyone gasped. Jace was down for sure, but there was no way he'd be getting back up.

"Damn idiot tried to run the ball on his own," Isabelle muttered.

Clary felt the blood drain from her face as Jace's body appeared. His leg was bent at a position no human had ever been in before. The only scream came from the crowd. Jace just looked at the sky and screamed through his lip he'd bitten so hard it was bleeding.

Clary had a sickening feeling in her stomach. She ran to the bathroom and puked. When she came out, Jace was on the sidelines, passed out cold.

. . .

The pacing finally got to Isabelle. "Clary, stop moving!" She didn't listen to her friend. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Clary hated jumbled messes. She had to expend her energy in some way. It was only when Alec snapped at her that she listened. Her body hit the chair so hard it moved Isabelle's. Jonathan sighed deeply.

"Why are you even here, Clary? You hate Jace." He asked. Clary was having trouble answering this herself. Why was she here? There were many reasons.

"It's my fault," she whispered to herself. Jonathan stared at her like she was crazy. She let her head hang into her hands. It was taking too long. How long did shin surgery take? She knew it didn't take an hour! Okay, no she didn't know that. Clary groaned.

Jace's leg had been a sickening sight. The bone wasn't sticking out, but it was close enough. He couldn't move it. He could definitely feel it, though. Clary closed her eyes. She remembered coming out of the bathroom and running to the sidelines. It was her fault. He looked like he was sleeping, not that she'd ever seen him sleeping. She made him so angry. People surrounded his leg so much she could hardly see. But she saw. And she nearly fainted, too.

"Wayland?"

Clary shot to her feet. "That's m-us – that's us," she said, remembering Jace's siblings and her brother were here, too. Maryse was on the way. The nurse looked between the four kids skeptically.

"And you're all his siblings?" she said with annoyance.

"Yes."

She sighed and looked at the chart. "Well, he's awake." She walked off, the four of them on her heels. Clary's heart was racing. He survived surgery. He got through. If he had died on the table, she never would have forgiven herself. Clary couldn't believe she had been so stupid. She was worried about all the wrong things.

The nurse stopped by a door. "The doctor would like to see your parents. He made it thro-,"

Clary pushed past the nurse. She had to see him. She had to know he was okay. "Clary!" Isabelle grabbed after her. She threw open the door.

Her eyes were bouncing around the room. She peered around his leg propped up by pillows. Her feet moved forward without her knowledge. Clary's eyes locked on his face, more importantly, on his eyes. They were open and watching her.

"Jace," she breathed, crashing into him. He grunted, and she almost pulled away, but he locked his arms around her waist. His heat reassured her. Dead people didn't have heat. He didn't smell like Jace, though. He smelled way too clean, like the hospital had already taken a toll on him. "Jace, I'm so sorry. It's my entire fault. Oh God…"

Clary stepped back. Tears welled in her eyes. His cast was unlike normal ones. A metal casing surrounded the cast, poles going in at measured lengths. Jace sat more upright. He sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "No, sweetheart, I could put all the blame here," he said and gestured toward his crotch. Clary let out an embarrassing snort of laughter. She had never been so glad to hear his sarcastic, teasing tone before.

She was so relieved she threw her arms around Jace again, climbing halfway on his bed. Before she could think about it, she pressed her lips to his. "You're such a jealous idiot," she laughed as he wiped at her tears.

"What the hell?" Isabelle shouted. Clary's head snapped around. She didn't stop to think for a second about the three she'd came here with. Now her friends stood in utter shock.

Jace sat up. "Jon…"

Jonathan looked disgusted. Hurt laced across his gaze, which bounced between Clary and Jace. His fists were balled. "We're leaving, Clary. Now."

Clary climbed off Jace's bed, but she didn't move forward. "What? No way."

Jonathan walked to Clary and locked his hand around her arm, squeezing so tight no blood flowed to her hands. She stumbled toward him, trying to pry away. "Don't come near Clary again. You ruined the game. You're not ruining my sister."

Jace locked his jaw. He and Jonathan stared each other down. Clary couldn't take more of a testosterone-filled fight. She rolled her eyes and tried to speak as the grip on her arm tightened. "Jon, I can take care of myself."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Should I tell Dad just what you've been up to?"

She snorted. "Sure. He already said he'd approve of Jace." Jonathan acted like she'd slapped him in the face and kicked him while he was down.

"Come on, Jon. Haven't you seen this coming?" Isabelle inched near Jon. He shrugged her touch off, stomping towards the door.

Jon turned around just as he neared the door, which was being held open by Alec. "You're really some best friend, Jace. Real cool."

Then he was gone. Alec came in laughing, and Isabelle joined nervously. Clary didn't find this funny. Neither did Jace. She felt the urge to cry again, but not with relief. However, anger overruled that urge. He was her brother, not her father. Even her father had no right to choose a man for her. Her judgment wasn't as screwed up as they thought it was. It was more than insulting. Jon thought of her as his child.

"This is exactly what I didn't want happening," she mumbled.

"Give him some time," Alec said. "After all, he is also dating his best friend's sister."

Why was it any different this time?

"Oh forget him!" Isabelle came to Jace's other side. "How's your leg?"

"I've had wor-,"

"Good. Now. When did you two happen? Details!" Isabelle squealed. Alec sat in the chair with a bored expression.

"Yes, details," he muttered, pulling out his phone. Clary rubbed at her arm. Her brother's words kept echoing in her mind. Did she pull them apart? They were best friends, closer than brothers. Her eyes landed on Jace as he retold the night of the milkshake horror. His leg was healing in a cast, but Clary still broke it. She was stubborn. She was cruel.

"I have to go," she muttered, not looking at Jace as she spoke. On her way out, she ran straight into Maryse.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Clary, are you okay?" she asked, hands on her shoulders. Clary shook her head.

"He's hurt because of me," she muttered as she broke away from Maryse. She made it all the way to her car, but her fingers were shaking too badly to turn the ignition. So she sat there in silence.

* * *

 **A/N: Well I suck at making one shots, huh? I promise the next chapter is the final chapter, though. OmG you guys rock! Your reviews made my heart burst! It definitely helped me get through my first day of school! I love you guys! Stick around for the next chapter. I'm hoping it will be done by friday at the latest. Your love and inspiring words are always welcome!**

 **Sidenote: I was asked why I hated Simon so badly. It was on a different story, but by his absence I'm sure you can see that I'm not a huge fan. It's nothing personal to him. He's a quirky, well developed character. It's just his personality. If you haven't caught on to my many stories, I have a thing for bad boys. Also, I suck at/hate writing friendships that don't lead into romance. What are you all's takes on Simon? Are you a fan? And who is for Simon and Isabelle? Jonathan and Isabelle?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Discaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait, my lovelies, but I hope the length makes up for it. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Her dad called her finally, jarring Clary from the silence of her car.

"Come home right now, Clarissa." He demanded. She didn't refuse. On her way back, she didn't take her foot off the gas. Her hands didn't leave the wheel. She wanted this horrible feeling of guilt to disappear. She had to make things better between Jon and Jace.

Valentine and Jonathan were waiting for her in the living room. "Sit." She sat on the couch. They stood above in all their mighty power. "Jonathan says you have been sleeping with Jace Wayland. Is that true?"

Clary's eyes went wide. Nobody ever said anything about sex, not even Jace. It was never in the question. Anger flooded through her. She may have created this drift, but Jonathan sure didn't help to end it. She spat out the words that could do its worst to her brother. "Jonathan had Isabelle sleeping in his bed the other night."

Valentine looked at him briefly. "Which means Jace was in yours?" He had a calm rage. It was something that bubbled beneath his skin until it finally exploded.

"No! He was on the couch!" She protested. "And we only kissed. Jonathan just assumed the worst."

He snorted. "I know Jace. He doesn't just kiss."

Clary crossed her arms over her chest. "He does with me."

Valentine sighed loudly. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Since there's no evidence of what actually happened, we'll deem this a mistrial." There was his lawyer talk. He pointed a finger at Clary. "I expect to see him over here when he's out of the hospital."

She was surprised with that. "Why?"

He frowned. "I have to make sure he's good enough for you." Now the words she always said were on the tip of her tongue. Nobody was ever good enough for her. Valentine heard her before she spoke. His eyes softened and he moved forward, lying a hand on her cheek. He squatted to her level. She was shocked and scared at this point. He never showed so much affection. "You are just like your mother. Looks and spirit. Sometimes, I confuse the two of you, and that's not fair. But now I know your mother deserved more than me, and so do you."

He left with a pointed look at Jonathan. "You're doing the same thing to his sister, son."

. . .

Clary watched her phone like a hawk. She had to force her eyes away, but they just landed on her unfinished artwork, which made her think about him again. Therefore, her eyes landed again on her phone.

It rang!

She answered it immediately. "Jace?"

He chuckled into the receiver. It sounded the same between the static. "Hey baby," he said. "Miss me?"

"Miss you? Jace, you have no idea what just happened," she breathed. Her feet curled beneath her legs. She looked out the window at the night sky, at the lack of stars.

"I left my phone at the field. None of my insanely intelligent friends thought to grab it," he said. She could practically see his eyes rolling. Her lips lifted upward in the hint of a smile. She did miss him. He'd been in the hospital for two nights. Clary would have visited him earlier, but Jonathan took the car and Isabelle was getting her nails done.

"We were a little worried over some asshat who ruined the game," Clary smirked. A whoosh sounded as he fell back on his bed with frustration.

"We were losing before I got hurt! Why doesn't anyone remember that?" he groaned. A shiver ran though her body. She didn't realize how used she was to seeing him every day. Jace's good mood fell at her silence. "Is everything okay?"

Clary sighed. "You're becoming addicting."

"I warned you, didn't I?"

She rolled her eyes. "Where are you?"

"If you're thinking of sneaking in and stealing my virtue, you have another thing coming for you," Jace snickered. Clary giggled.

"Is that a promise?" She asked.

"Fuck no!" Jace jolted out of his charm. "My room. Get your cute ass over here, Red."

Her feet pounded against the pavement silently. The street was bare as she ran across. Darkness radiated from her house. She ran straight to the light of the Lightwoods. She rode the elevator up, hoping nobody would hear it. She was wrong. At first, she thought she'd sneak in and out unnoticed. However, her eyes saw movement near her legs. A boy around the age of nine stared up at her.

He blinked twice before sticking out his hand. "Hi, I'm Max!" he exclaimed. Clary frowned. She'd heard of Max from Isabelle, but he'd never been home when she visited. His cheery smile and brown hair was unexpected. "Shh. We have to be really quiet or Mom will hear you."

"You knew I was coming?"

"Of course. Jace sent me. He didn't want you to get lost," he whispered as he grabbed her hand. Clary laughed, earning her a strict glare from Max. She forced a frown on her face, holding in her giggles.

He took her all over the place. Clary knew they'd passed Jace's room at least once. Max kept his determined face on, though. She didn't say a word. When he stopped by Jace's room, his proud smile exposed his innocence. "Here you go, madam."

"Why thank you sir," Clary messed up his hair. Max growled for vengeance before running off. She pushed open the door.

He was leaning back on the bed with his leg propped up. Jace sent her his signature grin that made her heart speed up. She bit her lip, shut the door, and slowly made her way towards him. Just for the fun of it, she swayed her hips as she went. It was amusing to watch him fight the urge to stare at her waist. He didn't, though it pained him as much as his leg did.

"You're happy to see me confined to a bed for four months," Jace said. Clary smiled softly. He scooted over and gave her room to sit next to him.

"I don't know. I hear fun things can happen on a bed," she winked. Jace snaked an arm around her waist and squeezed.

"Damn right. But that's not what you came here for," he said. Clary shook her head.

She bit her lip to hide her child-like smile. "I think I was wrong about my dad, Jace."

He frowned. "Which part?"

She snorted. "He is still a selfish jerk, don't worry, but I think…I think he does care about me sometimes." She stayed silent, getting a lost look in her eyes as she remembered his words that had changed her entire perspective on him. She couldn't forget them. They'd been circling around in her mind like a shark circling its prey. "He said I was just like my mom, that we both deserved better than him."

Jace's hands brushed hair away from her emerald eyes. "You do."

She smiled. "You're better."

Jace frowned. His fingers cradled her face. "You don't realize how much you're worth."

"Neither do _you_ ," Clary emphasized. His eyes were dark and unbelieving. She felt that urge he'd once described to her before. Want. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Clary glanced at the door. "Does it lock?"

Jace's eyebrow rose. "Uh, yeah, why?"

Clary smiled impishly. She hopped to her feet and locked the door. Then, she walked back to the bed. Jace watched her every move. She was in leggings and a tee, nothing special. But the way his gaze burned into her skin made it feel special. Swallowing her fear, she carefully straddled his waist. Jace grunted in approval. His hands moved toward her but then thought better of it. Clary enjoyed seeing him struggle with control.

"Want to know what it's like to really be kissed?" she whispered in a deep voice. Jace's eyes darkened as they followed the dance of her lips. She could feel him holding back. She was in control now. So he leaned back and stayed still as Clary moved closer, slower than ever.

"Clary…" Jace warned, eyes as dark as the night. She beamed at him. Her arms wove fluidly around his neck. Then, she crashed her lips to his. They molded together in a passionate heat. His were so warm against hers. The way they kissed was more like a dance than anything else.

Jace held off no longer than a second. His hands came crashing against her body, pulling her flush against him. He captured her tongue in the next kiss, and she twirled her fingers into his hair. His scent overwhelmed Clary in that moment. In his room, with nothing else to distract her, she grew overwhelmed with Jace in an addicting way.

His hands gripped her ass, lifting her even closer against him. Clary moaned into their kiss. She ran her hands down his arms, groping his biceps, moving to his chest. Without a second thought, she ripped off his shirt.

His skin was so warm. She pulled away, not able to resist mauling him with her eyes. Jace took this opportunity to flip Clary to her back. She squeaked with surprise. He struggled to move over top of her due to his leg. A groan of pain made Clary stop him. He grinned at her. "Not a chance, Red."

She blushed as he settled against her body. She could _feel_ his abs against her stomach, but she wanted so much more. Jace's lips attacked hers again. He kissed her faster, harder. He wanted more, too.

Clary pulled away again, but Jace continued. He moved to her neck, kissing her just as hard as he had with her lips. Clary's body was trembling with energy as he kissed up and down her neck. She dug her nails into his skin, trying her best to hold on to sanity.

"J-Jace," she breathed.

He stilled, mumbling against her skin in a way that didn't settle any nerves. "Hhmm?"

"S-stop doing that," Clary insisted. "I can't get my shirt off if you keep that up."

Immediately, he broke away. She giggled as he hovered over her body, watching lustfully as her shaking fingers grabbed at her shirt. She pulled it above and off her body, eyes connected with Jace's the whole time. She watched his gaze dip down, his lips curl up with a smirk. Jace fell back down on her in an instant, kissing again at her neck. Clary's legs wound around him. His lips trailed over her collarbone, and she sucked in a sharp breath of air.

Carefully, his hands traced ghostly line down her sides. She pulled Jace back up to her for another kiss. Their lips moved against each other's as one hand grabbed her over her bra. Clary smiled into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of being wanted. She relished the feeling of skin on skin, heat on heat. His muscled moved against hers expertly. Jace was so addicting.

His fingers just began to slip under her bra when a pounding sounded on the door. "Bloody hell," Jace cursed. It sounded again.

"We need to talk, Wayland," Jonathan's voice demanded. Clary's eyes went wide. It had to have been nearing midnight now.

"I have to hide," she whispered. Jace looked at her like she was crazy. "He already wants to kill you."

Jace grinned. "I'd take him any day for you, babe." Clary blushed because she knew it was true. She bit her lip and looked at the door with her eyes. He groaned. "I will kill him for this later."

He moved to the side so she could hop up. Their make out session had given her some extra courage. "Oh, are you?" she said as she bent over at her hips to give him his shirt. In doing so, her leggings stretched thin. She knew he could see the red thong underneath.

"Fuck yes," Jace growled. Clary giggled and watched as his eyes moved away from her butt.

"Jace!"

Clary jumped. She looked around and slid under his bed, cursing at the sight of her shirt lying on top of his desk. Jace unlocked the door. Maybe he wouldn't see it. It could easily be disguised as his shirt. But she remembered just how clean his room always was. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw her shoes lying at the foot of the bed, one halfway underneath it.

"To what do I owe your gracious pleasure?" Jace said.

Jonathan sighed, "Why are you sleeping with my sister? And don't give me that bullshit 'you're not sleeping together.' I know you, Jace."

Jace took his time about answering. Clary was eager to both hear the answer and hear the end of the conversation. She heard his laugh before he spoke and cringed. "She's hot. Have you seen her little ass bounce when she storms away?" He whistled.

Jonathan growled, "You're about to go back to that hospital if you don't shut up."

Jace laughed. His boot hit the ground hard as he walked. The bed squished in on Clary's back as he sat. She held her breath. "We haven't had sex yet. If we had, I think you would have seen it in her walk."

Jonathan let out a snort of laughter before gagging, remembering it was his sister they were talking about. "But you're planning to?"

"It's up to Clary. She knows that," Jace said. Clary's heart spread up. She smiled against the floor, hoping not to inhale dust bunnies.

Jonathan groaned and sat on the bed. Clary held back a squeak as air was pushed out of her lungs. Fat ass. "It's just…you promised you wouldn't."

Clary frowned. She'd never heard of any type of promise concerning Jace and her. Jace cleared his throat, speaking like he wished he didn't have to. "You gave me no choice. It wasn't a problem disliking her when I didn't know how shitty you and your dad treat her, especially after she took your mom's death so hard."

Clary didn't like what she heard.

"I guess I have to tough it out. Even if I weren't dating your sister, Isabelle would actually castrate me if I didn't 'let love be.'" He made a sickened sound and stood up. "Don't screw this one up either. I seriously don't want to fight you."

Jace chuckled. "You know I'd win."

Jonathan snorted. He walked to the door and turned around at the last second. "When will -," and he stopped. I held my breath. His hand appeared within my view as he bent down and held up my shoes. I cursed under my breath. We were so close. "Is she _in_ here right now?"

"No, I just like to have something to remember her by," Jace deadpanned, utterly serious. Jonathan growled and hit the floor to inspect under the bed. Clary smiled sheepishly and waved at him. He reached for her foot. She rolled out and stood up.

"However much endearing that all was, you can leave now," she hissed at her brother. Jace coughed from the bedside. She looked at him and he made an obvious motion of looking at her boobs, which were very exposed from her bra.

Jonathan was panting like a bull ready to charge.

"Get. Your. Shirt. On!" Jonathan glared at Jace. "You liar!"

"This is none of your business!" Clary groaned, refusing to put on a shirt like he'd said. "Get out!"

"This is quite incestuous." Jace chuckled. Clary turned her back on Jonathan, closing her eyes like it'd remove him instantly from the room. She heard the door slam, hard. Jace's golden gaze grazed hers. The sound of his laughter was so infectious, so rare. Soon Clary found herself laughing along with Jace. When Isabelle's shouts sounded from down the hall, it made the two laugh harder. Clary fell against the bed. Jace pulled her into him, letting her head rest on his chest. "I think that went well."

Clary laughed. She could feel his heart beating against her ear. The heat from before had changed from electric to comforting. She snuggled in closer to him. "What did you promise him so long ago, Jace?"

Jace pressed his lips to her forehead. "Something dumb." She could tell he didn't want to talk about it, but it was killing her. She craned her head back, looking at him with pleading eyes.

"If you tell me, we can pick up where we left off…" Clary suggested. His eyes lit up. As his hands rested over her barren stomach, Jace pulled her closer.

"You know me too well, baby," he said into her ear. Clary shivered and grinned. He knew her too well also. Jace spoke slowly, cautiously. "Around the time of freshman year, I started dating a lot of girls."

"I know," Clary said with an undertone of annoyance. Jace laughed.

"Not the point, but that's cute," he pressed his lips to her cheek. A hot blush ran up her neck, and she snuggled more into his chest in hopes her hair would hide it. "Jonathan and I used to sleep over a lot. I suppose I talk in my sleep, a lot." Clary nodded. Jace sighed like he didn't want to say this part. "Remember the day you came over after the first month of school? Jonathan and I sprayed you and Isabelle with a water hose."

Clary laughed. "I remember. I was so mad that I threw a book at you!"

Jace ran a hand through his hair. "You were wearing a white t-shirt."

She gasped. "With no bra!" Now her face truly turned red. She groaned, sliding back all the way so that she was barely still sitting. Her hands covered her face. "That was before I really had boobs, too. Fuck."

Jace laughed. She peeked a glance at him, finally noticing how far down she'd scooted. Her head was resting basically against his crotch. She smiled sheepishly but didn't move. "You had enough for me to remember, though I do prefer them now in all their perfect glory. That night, Jon heard me talking in my sleep. I was dreaming about you, Clary."

She shot upright, looking at him with shock. If she didn't trust him so much, she would have thought he was teasing her. "But…"

"You're hotter than you think," Jace smirked. Clary still stared at him with an open mouth. "Anyways, he made me promise I'd stay away from you. I knew you'd only get hotter, but I figured the best way to uphold his promise was to make you hate me. Plus, I do love seeing you flustered. Obviously, I couldn't hold off for forever."

Clary rolled her eyes. She leaned forward, watching as his eyes followed her chest. "There're other ways to make me flustered, Jace."

His lips and hands were on her in seconds, making damn well sure she was flustered by the end of the night.

. . .

Jace looked at Maryse. "You didn't have to come over and meet him again."

She sent him a sour look. "Of course I did. I meet all my kid's future fathers-in-law." Maryse knocked on the door firmly.

Isabelle snorted. "Please. I'm sure Jace will find a way to scare Clary away sooner or later. Just wait until they hit the bedroom."

Jace frowned at Isabelle. "You and I both know it is what drew her in," Jace spoke it with such confidence Isabelle let that matter drop. She didn't hear the insult in that. It was true. Jace always drew girls in with his looks, reputation, or both. However, Clary was so much better than all the other girls he had to wonder what exactly snagged her.

Maryse cleared her throat and patted her foot while she avoided both of their gazes. Jace again protested, "But you've already met her dad."

Right on cue, Valentine opened the door. His eyes fell on Jace's first. They had an odd relationship going. Clary would invite Jace over without asking her dad, making him confused as to whom to be mad with. Most of the time, it was both of them. On the rare occasions Valentine let Clary have him over, his rules were strict, and Jace had a loophole for ever one of them.

The rule for keeping Clary's bedroom door opened was skipped around when Valentine found them kissing locked in the bathroom. Valentine didn't leave them in a small room together after that. Jace skirted under that new rule by using a blanket to grab Clary's ass. Jonathan ratted them out on that one. Then there was his 'no lip locking' rule. Jace avoided that one easily by kissing her neck and chest rather than her lips.

Clary had come up with a few of her own diversions, but Valentine always blamed Jace. He beamed brightly at the father of Clary in all his cranky glory. "Mr. Morgenstern." He tipped an invisible hat and walked past him.

Despite the many reasons for Valentine to hate Jace, he didn't. Jace didn't know why not. He supposed it had something to do with how happy Clary had been lately. Jace knew it wasn't solely because of their relationship. If anything, he annoyed her more than before now that they spent more time together. The difference was that she could laugh with him now. Seeing her smile after a heated yet meaningless argument was like gulping down an ice-cold bottle of water after a five-mile run.

Jace found Jonathan first. "Dude, you guys have to come over more often. Clary is fixing some fine ass dessert!"

"Does she need help?" Jace asked.

"Dunno." Jonathan patted Jace on the back, walking past him on the search for Isabelle. Jace made his way into the kitchen. He leaned quietly against the open doorframe. The aromas filled his nose with a warm goodness that spread to his stomach. Clary had her back to him. She was bent over at the waist with a knife in one hand. Her other hand was held far away from the dessert, and Jace spied some icing on her fingers. Her body was flowing to the classical music protruding from her phone. The skirt she wore wasn't the longest of clothing. Jace took a minute to appreciate the view. He could stare at her ass, thinly covered by dark red panties, all night for all he cared. Then she stood up, cocking her hip out to the side and moving her knife hand away. It was her turn to appreciate her creation.

Jace knew how much she hated it when he snuck up on her. He carefully walked up behind the tiny girl. Her hand with icing on it was still exposed. He eyed the three iced fingers. Carefully, he stepped into her back and licked the white sugary substance off her hand. Clary gasped and began to whirl around, knife at the ready, but Jace caught her hands before it was too late.

"Hey sweet thing," he grinned mischievously. Clary took a deep breath, blowing red curls away from her eyes in the process. Jace watched as the green took him in with both relief and annoyance.

"Ass-hat," she shook her head with a rueful smile. Clary stood on her toes and craned upward. He knew what that meant before she was halfway there. He wove an arm around her back and lifted her the rest of the way to him so that she could plant a kiss on his lips. Once, he'd bent down and met her half way. Clary was annoyed. She wanted to kiss him herself, not the other way around. This was his compromise.

"I thought you said you didn't need help cooking," Jace said when she was back on the ground. Clary smiled.

"I don't. My dad cooked the entire meal. Don't gag. I volunteered for this." She said, her back against the counter where her treat rested. Jace looked over her shoulder – her head really with his height advantage – at the treat she made. Clary covered her hand as a giggle escaped. Jace frowned. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "It's a new art form I decided to try out."

She didn't lie. The cake was small and round. It was clearly homemade, even the picture on top. It was a drawing of icing. Jace had to blink a couple of times to make sure he got the image right. It was two people – it was them. A tiny girl with a red face and red hair, eyes and cheeks puffed out like she was screaming. Her hands were small and in the air far above her head. Blue coated her shirt, hair, and face. A taller boy with golden hair was laughing his ass off. They both had on eye goggles and a white lab coat. They were in chemistry class on the day they shared their first kiss together.

"This is amazing…" Jace breathed in shock. Clary turned around in his arms to look at it. She exhaled and leaned into him. He didn't know what it was. Maybe it was how she melted in his arms like a delectable chocolate did in your mouth, a perfect fit. Maybe it was the smell of her hair filling his nose. Maybe it was how she thought of the smallest moments together as their most memorable ones. Or maybe it was just because it was constantly in the back of his mind and on the tip of his tongue at every second of every day. "Clary?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Her relaxed form stiffened into a metal pole. Her breathing stopped, and so did his. He didn't regret it – he truly was deep in love with that beautiful girl he'd just scared to hell and back. He did, however, wish he didn't have to scare her with _those_ words in particular. Her body stepped away from his, and he cursed himself under his breath. Clary turned around. He'd never seen her beautiful eyes so big. She opened her mouth, leaving it open for a good minute. Only the sound of their breath could be heard. Jace was about to say something to break the silence, and Clary had just closed and reopened her lips, ready to speak as well. Then…the door sprang open.

"You guys! We've been looking all over for you. It's getting cold," Isabelle laughed. She looked between the two of them. "Everything okay? I'm starving."

She grabbed Clary's arm and dragged her to the dining room. Jace swallowed hard. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water, chugging it. It was suddenly so hot in here.

Jace sat at the table, but the only available spot was across from Clary. He tried to gain her attention, but she stared at her hands like her life depended on it.

"Jace, how's your leg doing?" Valentine asked. His head snapped up. He could have stared at Clary all meal and been fine with it, though.

"It's great," he said.

Valentine nodded. "What happened that game, son? Why'd you deviate from the play?" Jace grew irritated with Valentine's sense that he had the right to ask any question. This one got on his nerves when even Clary asked.

Jace gritted his teeth and tried to not sound like an asshole when he answered. "I saw an opening that didn't stay open long enough."

Jonathan snorted. "Sure."

Jace knew he never believed him. "Well what else do you think was the problem?"

Jonathan sighed and set his fork down. He looked pointedly at Clary. "I think you and her were having some fight. I knew you were angry after you came back out. I just didn't think you'd throw your leg out because of it."

Jace's hands clenched at his sides. These were fighting words. He knew he could say them because he'd never fight in front of Maryse. Jace had trouble moving without seeing red, let alone speaking without cussing him out. Clary's voice finally spoke up, stilling all traces of his anger.

"Jon, you can shut the hell up," she glared at her brother. "Whatever happened out there isn't something any of us will understand but Jace. Leave it."

Jonathan groaned and muttered something under his breath. Isabelle huffed indignantly. "I'd hope if four old biker guys were all over _me_ that you'd be a little upset, too." She promptly threw her napkin in her seat and walked off. Jonathan's eyes went wide.

"Shit," he mumbled and jumped up after her. "No! Iz, come on, baby, I didn't mean it like that!"

Silence.

"Four biker guys?" Valentine's voice rose in question, looking at Jace, not Clary. He looked at his food.

"Four biker guys," he grumbled in agreement.

Clary groaned. "I spilled their beer because you got hurt, Jace!"

"Why didn't you give them money? You didn't have to walk them to the stand," he continued to pout. They'd had this argument many times before. Jace didn't often get jealous, but that night had been a mixture of things. He knew she'd never choose one of them over him. He did, however, fear for her safety. They also weren't even official. It pissed him off that she could walk around with four scary men and have no reservations about what her friends said, but she couldn't say she was with Jace. Maybe he created that opening in his mind. He just wanted to hit somebody. He wanted to get his anger out of his system. Now, he didn't plan on hitting _four_ people at once.

Clary groaned. She fell back against her chair and pressed her lip out, pouting. Jace couldn't help but stare at her beauty. She was the cutest thing ever, cuter than even puppies. Outside, she was adorable and hot at the same time. Inside, though, sixty percent of the time she was cute, and forty percent of the time she was sexy. He saw cute as sexy half the time when it came to Clary.

He forgot the one hundred percent of the time when she was being her smart ass self, but he had slowly conformed his mind to find that trait endearing.

"Clary, what have you been working on lately?" Maryse asked. Jace stuck out his tongue at Clary as she slowly receded from her pouting form. Nobody refused to talk to Maryse. Nobody.

"Nothing big. I've done a lot of sketches, but I haven't gotten time to really paint anything." She said.

"What are you sketches of?" she asked. Jace, again, stuck out his tongue to her. She never let him see her sketches. Would she refuse Maryse?

Clary coughed and looked at her food. "People, landscapes…anything, really."

Valentine snapped his fingers. "Did you ever redo that painting with a hole in it? It looked great before," he said animatedly.

Blush crept up on her features. "I did."

"How did it end up?" Valentine asked. Jace was surprised her dad knew so much about her paintings. He's slowly been making an effort to get to know his kids more, or that was what Clary had told Jace. He almost agreed.

"Great." He opened his mouth. "No, you cannot see it." Her eyes shifted upward. "Actually, I think Isabelle threw it on top of my dresser once I finished it. She was in a hurry to get home so we could surprise Jace when he got out of his cast that day… Jace, could you help me get it down?"

Jace was surprised she was speaking to him at all. He nodded and nearly ran from his seat. When they were in the hallway alone again, he didn't know what to say. "Clary, about-,"

"Shh."

"But-,"

"Jace," she admonished and grabbed his hand. He groaned. He hated this. Why had he been so dumb to blurt it out at random? He should have waited longer. But he knew. He'd known for so long. He was decently sure of it when he woke up from the surgery and she was there. He thought she was an angel - that he'd died and gone to heaven.

They entered her closet and shut the door. "Clary, I'm sorry I said anything-," he began.

"Get the painting," she cut him off, standing patiently.

"Clary. Please say something," he begged.

"I am. Get the painting," she pointed upward. Jace sighed. He reached up and pulled the painting down, handing it to her, ready to plead for her words, but the painting caught his eyes. It was bright and gold.

He pulled it out of her hands, but she didn't say a word. It was a painting of him. His eyes were a bright gold color, brighter than his hair. His hair was a deep gold, and she'd extended it so that it filled all the space around his body. Jace was shirtless, and his skin would have nearly blended in with the golf, but his many tattoos made a bright distinction. This was different than any portrait of him. He could see the tenderness in every brush stroke. He portrayed him in such a beautiful light, as if he was everything good and kind.

Clary's hands ran down his arms and circled around his body. He couldn't move. He was too busy looking at the painting, a question on his tongue. She'd painted this in the two months he'd had his cast on, _not_ in the six months they'd officially been together.

"I was obsessed with you before we even got together," she whispered, producing a second canvas. It was another golden painting with a whisper of a body being made. It was clearly unfinished, but he could see she'd been close. There was a hole right where his face had been painted, and that part had been finished. "I was in love with you not long after."

She was being genuine. She was being so truthful. His heart squeezed in pain. He nearly dropped the paintings in his haste to grab Clary. His lips crashed against hers. She giggled into the kiss, running her hands through his hair. Then, he grabbed her hips and lifted Clary off her feet and over his shoulder.

He chuckled and lifted her dress up to expose her bare butt. He gave her a firm smack. "Jace!" she squealed in delight. Before he could throw her on the bed, her door swung open.

There stood Jonathan, Isabelle, Maryse, and Valentine…all staring at Jace with his hand on Clary's ass.

"Fuck."

Clary hopped down, and Jace was tackled by two people, being yelled at by one woman, and being laughed at by two others.

* * *

 **A/N: You guys are AMAZING! I never expected getting sixteen reviews total, let alone on one chapter. I'm so glad to hear such feedback. Negative or positive, I love hearing it. This is, however, the last chapter. I already felt I've over written this story a bit. I kind of liked this ending though.**

 **NOTICE: I am starting a new Clace story. This is going to be a real story. It's centered around two foster kids, Jace and Clary. I will say no more. I'm not sure of what the rating will be, but I think it will eventually need to be M. Anyways, be on the look out for it by the end of this month for sure. As of right now, it should be named Hopeless Wanderers. Or just follow me to stay informed.**

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this. I certainly did. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other Clace one shots and story. Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you thought of the ending please!**


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